This July I'll be heading to Bar Harbor, Maine to teach at a week long hands-on, creative Slow Fashion Retreat and I want you to join me! I feel passionate about the subject matter and want to empower you to not be creative in general, but to also feel awesome about your clothing.
You can find the full description of the retreat offering on A Gathering of Stitches, but here are the four reasons I'm most excited about this retreat...
1. You want to participate in the slow fashion movement but not sure what that means for you. Take back agency in your wardrobe with hands-on skills designed to help you create a more ethical, sustainable, handmade wardrobe. The Slow Fashion Retreat focuses on three-rotating workshops that dive deep into pattern drafting and sewing, natural dyeing, and sashiko visible mending. More on these three workshops below.
2. Meet like-minded creatives. We'll be an intimate group capped at 30 participants working on similar projects and thought-provoking issues. I haven't figured out this whole slow fashion thing, but I'm learning and am so excited to be part of this community working to better themselves and the world at large. The picture above is from my Sashiko Mending Workshop in Mexico City.
3. Back to Nature. We'll be staying in a beautiful 19th century summer cottage at the College of the Atlantic with the Acadia National Park and the edge of the Atlantic ocean as a backdrop.
4. Hit the snooze button on life! Take a week for yourself enjoying time to be fully present and constructively creative. You're learning real life skills that will improve the quality of your life far beyond this week, so it's not just some frivolous luxury. It's self care, self improvement, and time for you to recharge. It'll be fun & you don't have to cook or do the damn dishes!
Here's a little more on the three workshops, but find the full details & descriptions here.
Pattern Drafting & Sewing with Cal Patch
I'm a big fan of the multi-talented Cal Patch, ever since we taught together at Squam years ago. In her class you will draft a custom pattern, make a muslin to test the fit, and then sew a pair of loose-fitting pants. This versatile pattern can be made with an elastic or drawstring waist, added pockets, in woven or knit fabrics, and in various lengths for all seasons. This will be your opportunity to make a stylish alternative to those jeans you wear all the time.
Sashiko Visible Mending with me!
The most sustainable garment is the one already in your closet. My goal is to help you reimagine and repair your clothing, to get it back into your wearable rotation and make sure you're excited about wearing it. I'm encouraging students to bring several items that they can work on depending on where their inspiration takes them.
Natural dyeing with Liz Spencer of The Dogwood Dyer
Use plants foraged from Maine while learning all about natural dyeing with indigo, surface design techniques, and pre-treat textiles for the best results. You will leave with your own naturally dyed textiles as well as handouts and recipes to recreate this at home.
Bounus workshops & events
Clothing swap, talks by Amy DuFault, sustainable fashion writer, and mini-workshop, Making, Being, and Being Made, Contemplative Writing for Makers by Katherine Ferrier. We'll also have free time to explore and dive deeper into our projects, all with guidance from the instructors.
I hope you will join us! 